Video: 'Television & the Presidency Part 9' (Eagleton issue at 1:23)

(Monday, July 31, 1972, 9:45 p.m. EDT; during the 1972 United States presidential election campaign) — Senator Thomas Eagleton of Missouri, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, withdrew from the national ticket with George McGovern tonight following disclosures that Eagleton had once undergone psychiatric treatment.

Eighteen days after choosing Eagleton as his running mate, McGovern, the Democratic presidential nominee, announced that they had agreed that the “best course” would be for Eagleton to step aside and thereby terminate a national debate over his health.

Video: 'Eagleton speaks after stepping down as VP candidate'

Eagleton said that he did not wish to “divide the Democratic party” by continuing as its nominee given his past health problems, which required electroconvulsive therapy twice.

McGovern had initially claimed that he would back Eagleton “1000 percent,” only to ask Eagleton to withdraw three days later. This perceived lack of conviction in sticking with his running mate was disastrous for the McGovern campaign.

Video: 'KNXT-TV2 (July 30, 1972) "EAGLETON CASE" CBS News Election 72 Special Report .'

In the coming days, McGovern would approach six different prominent Democrats to run for vice-president: Ted Kennedy, Edmund Muskie, Hubert Humphrey, Abraham Ribicoff, Larry O’Brien, and Reubin Askew. All six declined.

Sargent Shriver, brother-in-law to John, Robert, and Ted Kennedy, former Ambassador to France, and former Director of the Peace Corps, later accepted. He would be officially nominated by a special session of the Democratic National Committee. By that time, McGovern’s poll ratings had plunged from 41 to 24 percent.